# G. L. Pease – Samarra



## Nick S. (Jul 10, 2011)

G. L. Pease - Samarra
From the package:_ "Samarra - opulent and elegant! Several varieties of Virginia tobaccos form the structure of this blend. Smoky Cyprian Latakia, fine Turkish leaf, and just a bit of Perique are added for richness. The smoke is silky and round. A subtle, yet complex sweetness from the Virginias and just a little zest is present throughout the smoke, while layers of complexity tantalize the senses from first blush to the last puff." _

In The Tin/Pouch
The cut of this tobacco is a mix of different styles, there is some ribbon, rough cut, and maybe even some pressed sliced and tumbled flake/kake style tobaccos. The color ranges from light brown to dark brown with medium to dark brown being the majority. The tobacco doesn't have a strong aroma, but I do smell the Latakia in it. The overall aroma is very mild and slightly pungent, not bad but not captivating either. The moisture level seems ok for smoking straight from the tin but I did give mine some air time to be on the safe side. 

The Burn
This tobacco was actually kind of a challenge to light and keep lit. I think this was mostly due to the variance in size of the tobacco pieces. Too many large pieces toward the top and it can take a lot longer than normal, and one larger piece in the middle seems to make it difficult for the ember to travel downward as the tobacco burns. This also lead to an uneven burn and a few relights, not a deal breaker but not a fuss free smoke either. I also did find it necessary to run a pipe cleaner down the stem once or twice throughout the smoke, indicating that the tobacco may be wetter than it looks. 

The Smoke
This tobacco is a little sweeter than other English tobaccos because there seem to be a good dose of Virginias in it. The Latakia also seems to be very quiet in this blend and never really makes its presence known. I also got some hints of what I can only describe as rubber which certainly detracted from the experience. I also noticed that when challenged this tobacco it can be just a tad on the bitey side.

The Packaging, and Price
This tobacco comes in the round 2 ounce American style cans. It can be purchased at most online tobacco shops as well as some B&M shops. I got mine from www.smokingpipes.com for $9.80, you can also get it in 8 ounce cans for 32.03.

The Bottom Line
I really wanted to like this not because I need to find another good English, but after the Lagonda experience I really needed for the GL Pease English tobaccos to redeem themselves. Unfortunately it didn't, it never really seemed to have anything going for it. From the underwhelming tin aroma, to the rubbery taste in the smoke this tobacco just didn't impress me. I won't tell you not to smoke this one, because everyone has different tastes, but I will not be buying more of it. 

My Other Reviews
A tour of drug store blends, stop one: John Middleton's Carter Hall
A tour of drug store blends, stop two: John Middleton's Prince Albert
A tour of drug store blends, stop three: Pinkerton Tobacco Company - Granger
A tour of drug store blends, stop four: Lane Limited - Captain Black Regular (White)
A tour of drug store blends, stop five: Lane Limited - Captain Black Gold
A tour of drug store blends, stop six: John Middleton's Sugar Barrel
A tour of drug store blends, stop seven: Pinkerton Tobacco Company's Half and Half
Ogden's of Liverpool - St. Bruno Ready Rubbed
Orlik - Golden Sliced
GL Pease - Lagonda
Peterson - Irish Flake
Peterson - University Flake
Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Brown Bogie
Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Kendal Kentucky
Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Dark Bird's Eye
Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Bob's Chocolate Flake
McClelland - Deep Hollow
McClelland - Bulk #805 Carolina Deluxe
McClelland - Holiday Spirit
Peter Stokkebye - Cube Cut
Peter Stokkebye - English Luxury
Peter Stokkebye - Luxury Twist Flake
Peter Stokkebye - Luxury Navy Flake
Rattray's - Red Rapparee
Rattray's - Black Mallory (aged 12 years)
Mac Baren - Virginia Flake
Lane Limited - Bulk #101 BCA
Lane Limited - Bulk #102 1Q
Lane Limited - Bulk #182 BLWB
Dan Tobacco - Blue Note


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

From your description of the smoke, I might have to try this one!


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## doctorthoss (Jun 28, 2010)

Nick S. said:


> G. L. Pease - Samarra
> From the package:_ "Samarra - opulent and elegant! Several varieties of Virginia tobaccos form the structure of this blend. Smoky Cyprian Latakia, fine Turkish leaf, and just a bit of Perique are added for richness. The smoke is silky and round. A subtle, yet complex sweetness from the Virginias and just a little zest is present throughout the smoke, while layers of complexity tantalize the senses from first blush to the last puff." _
> 
> In The Tin/Pouch
> ...


If you want to find a good GL Pease blend, you're looking in the wrong places. Lagonda has had a mixed reception, at best (I disliked it) and Samarra is a notoriously light/fickle blend (it has it's fans, but it's not a huge seller). Try some of the best-selling Pease classics: Westminster, Odyssey, Blackpoint, or Chelsea Morning.
GLP has made a career out of blending stuff for a very wide range of tastes -- that's why a lot of his blends get a "meh" reaction from many smokers yet manage to find a few diehard fans to keep them going. But the ones I just mentioned (along with Filmore and Haddo's Delight) are huge sellers for a reason. You might just end up not liking his stuff, but give one or two of these a try first. I'd be surprised if you didn't like Westminster, for instance, and Chelsea Morning has already built up a rabid following (it's what Dunhill's EMP would be if it were, you know, good).


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## Nick S. (Jul 10, 2011)

doctorthoss said:


> If you want to find a good GL Pease blend, you're looking in the wrong places. Lagonda has had a mixed reception, at best (I disliked it) and Samarra is a notoriously light/fickle blend (it has it's fans, but it's not a huge seller). Try some of the best-selling Pease classics: Westminster, Odyssey, Blackpoint, or Chelsea Morning.
> GLP has made a career out of blending stuff for a very wide range of tastes -- that's why a lot of his blends get a "meh" reaction from many smokers yet manage to find a few diehard fans to keep them going. But the ones I just mentioned (along with Filmore and Haddo's Delight) are huge sellers for a reason. You might just end up not liking his stuff, but give one or two of these a try first. I'd be surprised if you didn't like Westminster, for instance, and Chelsea Morning has already built up a rabid following (it's what Dunhill's EMP would be if it were, you know, good).


Thanks, I actually have some Westminster, Odyssey, and Blackpoint on hand I just haven't gotten around to trying them yet... I haven't given up on the GLP blends, I just plan on smoking the ones I have before I buy anymore...


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## doctorthoss (Jun 28, 2010)

Nick S. said:


> Thanks, I actually have some Westminster, Odyssey, and Blackpoint on hand I just haven't gotten around to trying them yet... I haven't given up on the GLP blends, I just plan on smoking the ones I have before I buy anymore...


Let us know what you think! Your reviews are always very well done, so I'm curious as to your opinion. If you don't like any of those three blends, then I think it's fair to say that you just don't like GL Pease's latakia blends as those are pretty much the stars of his lineup.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Interesting. I haven't had Blackpoint, but I'd take Caravan over either of the other two.


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## Nick S. (Jul 10, 2011)

doctorthoss said:


> Let us know what you think! Your reviews are always very well done, so I'm curious as to your opinion. If you don't like any of those three blends, then I think it's fair to say that you just don't like GL Pease's latakia blends as those are pretty much the stars of his lineup.


Will do. I am not sure when I will get to them but when I do I will be sure to post a review.

*Update:*
As I near the end of the tin, and now that my expectations of what this blend would be have been dismissed, I am now starting to appreciate this blend for what it is. It is still not something I would buy a lot of, but it does have a nice sweetness to it from the Virginias. By avoiding the larger chunks when loading the pipe the burn issues have been rectified and it can actually be a somewhat pleasant smoke. I hereby upgrade this from a eww to a solid meh. Putting it in the not to be avoided, but not sought after category.


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## xray (Aug 18, 2011)

Nick S. said:


> The Bottom Line
> I really wanted to like this not because I need to find another good English, but after the Lagonda experience I really needed for the GL Pease English tobaccos to redeem themselves. Unfortunately it didn't, it never really seemed to have anything going for it. From the underwhelming tin aroma, to the rubbery taste in the smoke this tobacco just didn't impress me. I won't tell you not to smoke this one, because everyone has different tastes, but I will not be buying more of it.


I'm glad to read this as I thought there was something wrong with me. I heard how great it was on a YouTube video by 1968eric and the reviews on tobaccoreviews.com were pretty much all stellar. I bought a tin a few weeks ago and after about three bowls, I just don't get it. I'm getting almost no taste from it. Maybe that type of blend was more in style when it first came out years ago? I'm hoping all the rage about Hearth & Home's Magnum Opus is well deserved as I have a can of that to open yet. :neutral:


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## Nick S. (Jul 10, 2011)

xray said:


> I'm glad to read this as I thought there was something wrong with me. I heard how great it was on a YouTube video by 1968eric and the reviews on tobaccoreviews.com were pretty much all stellar. I bought a tin a few weeks ago and after about three bowls, I just don't get it. I'm getting almost no taste from it. Maybe that type of blend was more in style when it first came out years ago? I'm hoping all the rage about Hearth & Home's Magnum Opus is well deserved as I have a can of that to open yet. :neutral:


Yeah I know what you mean... Try it again and see if you can mentally throw out any thoughts you have as to what you think the blend should be or what you want it to be. Maybe try it in a different pipe, a wide bowl if you can, and give it a chance to be what it is. If you are having the same burn issues I had dig down in the tin a bit and load up the pipe with the smaller more uniform pieces nearer to the bottom, that should help a lot. It doesn't have that strong English flavor that typical English tobaccos have, it isn't a typical English, no heavy (not even mild) Latakia flavor, not very heavy on the orientals either IMO. But, It does have some sweet Virginias that can be coaxed to shine. Now, all that being said, you still might not like it, and that is OK. Personally, I am not jumping for joy over it, but I am beginning to appreciate it for what it is. I probably still won't buy more but I am not as disappointed as I was for the first half of the tin.


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## DanR (Nov 27, 2010)

I've had more of the Pease tobaccos that I really liked (Westminster, Chelsea Morning, Union Square, Sextant) than ones that just seemed so-so (Stratford, Picadilly, Lagonda, Haddo's Delight). I can't remember one that I didn't like at all?

I read somewhere (likely on this board) that most of Greg's tobaccos do better with age. In fact, the post I read suggested that you shouldn't even try any GL Pease tobaccos until they have a few years behind them. After reading that, I was gifted some 2008 Fillmore from RJPuffs that was like a sweet nectar from the gods to me. I liked it so much that later bought several one pound tins from RJ that continue to age in my cellar while I smoke an occasional bowl from my big mason jar. I have also tried a fresh tin of Union Square back to back with one that was aged, and the aged version was SOOO much better - as you'd expect. Therefore, (and probably like captain obvious) I'd summize that if you let your GL Pease tins rest awhile, they'll probably improve for you. For my tastes, all the aged tins I've tried have been spectacular!


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## Nick S. (Jul 10, 2011)

DanR said:


> I've had more of the Pease tobaccos that I really liked (Westminster, Chelsea Morning, Union Square, Sextant) than ones that just seemed so-so (Stratford, Picadilly, Lagonda, Haddo's Delight). I can't remember one that I didn't like at all?
> 
> I read somewhere (likely on this board) that most of Greg's tobaccos do better with age. In fact, the post I read suggested that you shouldn't even try any GL Pease tobaccos until they have a few years behind them. After reading that, I was gifted some 2008 Fillmore from RJPuffs that was like a sweet nectar from the gods to me. I liked it so much that later bought several one pound tins from RJ that continue to age in my cellar while I smoke an occasional bowl from my big mason jar. I have also tried a fresh tin of Union Square back to back with one that was aged, and the aged version was SOOO much better - as you'd expect. Therefore, (and probably like captain obvious) I'd summize that if you let your GL Pease tins rest awhile, they'll probably improve for you. For my tastes, all the aged tins I've tried have been spectacular!


Interesting... The tin I had has over a year of age on it and truthfully it had grown on me by the time I finished it up. I solved the burn issues and the rubbery taste seemed to taper off some (or maybe I just got use to it). I still don't think it is something I will buy more of, not because it is bad but because it just isn't for me.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

DanR said:


> I've had more of the Pease tobaccos that I really liked (Westminster, Chelsea Morning, Union Square, Sextant) than ones that just seemed so-so (Stratford, Picadilly, Lagonda, Haddo's Delight). I can't remember one that I didn't like at all?


I've found a few, but most (such as Odyssey) were just my palate; I don't care for heavy latakia blends. The only one that surprised me was Embarcaddero; I love most of the Fog City blends, but this one just hit me as wrong as it possibly could.



> I read somewhere (likely on this board) that most of Greg's tobaccos do better with age.


No doubt; the six year old Montgomery I smoked was awesome. New, it's about as bland and boring as you can get.


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